Marathon: Holding the Breath

One world record is 73 metres— a woman
                             descended into the sea on one 
breath. That's the distance of around 23 city blocks,  
                            but vertically and while holding 
your breath. A child stumbled into a well where he 
                            stayed overnight, with only his panicked 
breath to measure the hours. But we assume measurements 
                           that are mostly without obstacle. We pray
for not a breath snuffed out, as children and orphans are led
                           across borders. Night's chill breath, flecked
with shelling and gunfire.  In a free immersion dive, no fins 
                           are permitted—use only your arms or a rope for
orientation. Before finally taking the next breath, sometimes
                          divers black out, lose all consciousness.